Anthony Edwards played a pivotal role in reviving the Minnesota Timberwolves’ energy and performance in the Western Conference Finals, leading them to a dominant 143-101 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 on Saturday night. The victory trimmed the Thunder’s series lead to 2-1.
Edwards posted 30 points, nine rebounds, and six assists — all in just three quarters of play. His aggressive play set the tone from the beginning. “Just ultimate pressure on the ball and shoot it as much as I can,” Edwards said of his mindset.
Julius Randle contributed 24 points, while rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. added 15 points in just 13 minutes off the bench. The Timberwolves capitalized on their depth and exploited cracks in what had been the NBA’s top-ranked defense — a stark contrast to their offensive struggles in the first two games of the series.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault acknowledged his team’s defensive shortcomings, saying, “Their force on that end of the floor was better than our physicality and pressure.”
Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was held to just 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting, turning the ball over four times. He was taken out of the game with over four minutes remaining in the third quarter and the Thunder trailing by 38. “They blitzed us pretty early, and then we were never able to get back because of it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
The Timberwolves will look to even the series in Game 4, which takes place Monday night in Minneapolis.
Oklahoma City’s shooting fell off significantly on the road. After shooting 50% over the first two games, they hit just 12 of 40 shots in the first half of Game 3. Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s newly crowned MVP, went over 13 minutes without a basket while being relentlessly booed and taunted by the home crowd.
Randle bounced back from a lackluster Game 2 to deliver a strong showing, including several signature fadeaway shots. Meanwhile, Edwards reignited his three-point shooting — hitting five of eight attempts after a poor 1-for-9 showing in the previous game.
Determined to avoid their usual third-quarter struggles, the Wolves came out strong after halftime. Edwards added to the highlight reel with a baseline drive and reverse layup that gave Minnesota a commanding 79-52 lead.
“When he plays like that, it takes us to another level,” said Timberwolves coach Chris Finch.
